Alessa Esteban - The Lioness Gate
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Selected by Catherine Mikolajczak
Studied art history at Ecole du Louvre and specialised in contemporary art for over 25 years.
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Artist: Alessa Esteban; Title: Texts from the Pyramid of Unas; Year: 2019; Medium: Oil on canvas; Edition: Original, unique; Size: 100 × 100 cm; Signature: Hand-signed on the verso; Condition: Excellent; Description: An oil painting featuring authentic hieroglyphic inscriptions from the Pyramid Texts of Unas, blending contemporary art with Egyptology.
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Description from the seller
Unique oil painting featuring hieroglyphic inscriptions inspired by the Pyramid Texts of Unas (Saqqara, Egypt).
A rare intersection of contemporary art and Egyptological research by Mexican artist Alessa Esteban.
ARTWORK DETAILS
Artist: Alessa Esteban
Nationality: Mexican (based in Vienna, Austria)
Title: Texts from the Pyramid of Unas
Series / Exhibition: The Lioness Gate
Year: 2019
Medium: Oil on canvas
Technique: Hand-painted original oil painting incorporating Egyptian hieroglyphic transcription
Dimensions:
Image size: 100 × 100 cm
Canvas size: 100 × 100 cm
Framed size: Unframed (canvas only)
Signature: The artwork will be hand-signed by the artist on the verso (back) upon purchase.
Edition: Unique, one-of-a-kind original painting.
Description & Artistic Context
This painting was created for the exhibition “The Lioness Gate” (Vienna, 2019) presented with Dessous Cultural Space.
The work incorporates authentic Egyptian hieroglyphic texts taken from the Pyramid Texts of the Pyramid of Unas in Saqqara, Egypt, among the earliest known sacred inscriptions of ancient Egyptian funerary literature. In this painting, the hieroglyphs are carefully transcribed and integrated into a contemporary oil composition, creating a dialogue between ancient sacred language and modern visual art.
The Pyramid Texts were intended as spiritual spells guiding the soul through transformation and its return to cosmic origins. By bringing these ancient inscriptions into the medium of painting, the artist transforms them into a meditative visual field that evokes themes of protection, balance, and spiritual ascent.
For the artist, the work functions not only as a visual composition but also as a symbolic amulet-like image, reflecting the ancient Egyptian belief in the performative power of sacred writing.
Artist Background
Alessa Esteban is a Mexican visual artist based in Vienna whose work often bridges contemporary painting with Egyptological research.
Alongside her artistic career, she has pursued studies in art history and archaeology at Tor Vergata University in Rome, additional studies related to Egyptology and archaeology of the Giza Plateau through Harvard University online programs, and training in reading and interpreting Egyptian hieroglyphs with archaeologists working in Mexico.
Her artistic practice frequently incorporates ancient Egyptian symbolic systems, sacred texts, and mythological references, translating them into contemporary visual compositions that explore spirituality, cosmology, and archetypal imagery.
Exhibition History
Exhibited in:
“The Lioness Gate”, Dessous Cultural Space, Vienna, 2019
Provenance
Studio of the artist, Vienna
Exhibited at Dessous Cultural Space, Vienna (2019)
Available directly from the artist
Documentation
Certificate of Authenticity signed by the artist included
Exhibition documentation available upon request
Condition
Excellent condition.
Shipping
The painting is sold unframed.
For safe international shipping, the canvas will be professionally removed from the stretcher and shipped rolled in a protective art tube.
Unique oil painting featuring hieroglyphic inscriptions inspired by the Pyramid Texts of Unas (Saqqara, Egypt).
A rare intersection of contemporary art and Egyptological research by Mexican artist Alessa Esteban.
ARTWORK DETAILS
Artist: Alessa Esteban
Nationality: Mexican (based in Vienna, Austria)
Title: Texts from the Pyramid of Unas
Series / Exhibition: The Lioness Gate
Year: 2019
Medium: Oil on canvas
Technique: Hand-painted original oil painting incorporating Egyptian hieroglyphic transcription
Dimensions:
Image size: 100 × 100 cm
Canvas size: 100 × 100 cm
Framed size: Unframed (canvas only)
Signature: The artwork will be hand-signed by the artist on the verso (back) upon purchase.
Edition: Unique, one-of-a-kind original painting.
Description & Artistic Context
This painting was created for the exhibition “The Lioness Gate” (Vienna, 2019) presented with Dessous Cultural Space.
The work incorporates authentic Egyptian hieroglyphic texts taken from the Pyramid Texts of the Pyramid of Unas in Saqqara, Egypt, among the earliest known sacred inscriptions of ancient Egyptian funerary literature. In this painting, the hieroglyphs are carefully transcribed and integrated into a contemporary oil composition, creating a dialogue between ancient sacred language and modern visual art.
The Pyramid Texts were intended as spiritual spells guiding the soul through transformation and its return to cosmic origins. By bringing these ancient inscriptions into the medium of painting, the artist transforms them into a meditative visual field that evokes themes of protection, balance, and spiritual ascent.
For the artist, the work functions not only as a visual composition but also as a symbolic amulet-like image, reflecting the ancient Egyptian belief in the performative power of sacred writing.
Artist Background
Alessa Esteban is a Mexican visual artist based in Vienna whose work often bridges contemporary painting with Egyptological research.
Alongside her artistic career, she has pursued studies in art history and archaeology at Tor Vergata University in Rome, additional studies related to Egyptology and archaeology of the Giza Plateau through Harvard University online programs, and training in reading and interpreting Egyptian hieroglyphs with archaeologists working in Mexico.
Her artistic practice frequently incorporates ancient Egyptian symbolic systems, sacred texts, and mythological references, translating them into contemporary visual compositions that explore spirituality, cosmology, and archetypal imagery.
Exhibition History
Exhibited in:
“The Lioness Gate”, Dessous Cultural Space, Vienna, 2019
Provenance
Studio of the artist, Vienna
Exhibited at Dessous Cultural Space, Vienna (2019)
Available directly from the artist
Documentation
Certificate of Authenticity signed by the artist included
Exhibition documentation available upon request
Condition
Excellent condition.
Shipping
The painting is sold unframed.
For safe international shipping, the canvas will be professionally removed from the stretcher and shipped rolled in a protective art tube.
Details
Artist
Alessa Esteban
Sold with frame
No
Sold by
Direct from the artist
Edition
Original
Title of artwork
The Lioness Gate
Technique
Oil painting
Signature
Signed
Country of origin
Mexico
Year
2019
Sold with stand
No
Condition
Excellent condition
Height
100 cm
Width
100 cm
Depiction/theme
Mythology
Style
Contemporary
Period
2020+
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